What Happens to My Spouse’s Debts at Their Death?
A spouse’s death creates a difficult and demanding time for the surviving partner. As much as you might want space and time alone to process your grief, you may have …
Using Assisted Reproductive Technology: What Happens to Unused Genetic Material at Your Death?
When you think about how you want your property to be distributed after your death, most of the time it is easy to identify that property—your home, your cars, your …
LGBTQ+ Estate Planning to Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones
Estate planning is for everyone. Regardless of your wealth, age, marital status, gender identity, or sexual orientation, it is crucial to have a plan in place to protect your money, …
How to Handle Conflicts in Family-Owned Businesses
Conflicts are inevitable within businesses and families. Personal rivalries, differences of opinion, competition for resources, and questions of prestige can set individuals at odds and lead to warring factions with …
QTIP Trust – Will My Spouse Get What They Need?
What is a QTIP trust? A qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) trust is an estate planning tool that married couples can use to minimize uncertainty about the future and maximize …
Decanting: Redoing Your Loved One’s Estate Plan
In a constantly evolving world, having the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances is a valuable trait. But is flexibility less important in estate planning than in other areas of …
Marital Disclaimers and the Clayton Election: Last-Minute Estate Tax Planning
Deferring, minimizing, or avoiding estate taxes altogether is often an important estate planning goal for married couples. However, uncertainty surrounding what the estate tax laws and the value of their …
Business Ownership and Divorce: What You Need to Know
Divorce is rarely simple. When two people’s lives are intertwined—physically, emotionally, and legally—separating the individual strands can be a task akin to untying the Gordian knot. The longer a couple …
The Difference Between a Prenuptial Agreement and a Will or Trust
There was a time when most people heard about prenuptial agreements only when watching soap operas or Hollywood movies or reading a novel. For many of us, prenuptial agreements seemed …
Is Our Home Community Property or Separate Property, and Why Does It Matter?
When two people get married, the property they obtain during their marriage is called marital property. This includes anything from real property like homes and rental properties, to stock options, …